Obama lauds Clinton as she prepares to leave

President Barack Obama is lavishing praise on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as she prepares to leave his Cabinet.

He calls her one of his closest advisers and says their shared vision for America's role in the world persuaded his one-time rival and potential successor to be his top diplomat while he dealt with the shattered domestic economy.

During a joint interview that aired on CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday, Obama and Clinton chuckled as they described their partnership and stoked speculation that Obama may prefer Clinton to succeed him in the White House after the 2016 elections. But both batted away questions about future campaigns.

Clinton said "The president and I care deeply about what's going to happen for our country in the future" and, as she put it, "I don't think, you know, either he or I can make predictions about what's going to happen tomorrow or the next year."

Obama, who suggested the joint interview, called her a friend and an extraordinary talent, and praised "her discipline, her stamina, her thoughtfulness, her ability to project."